Tongue-support



(No Model.)

A. B. ROSE 85 J. PL. KELLEY.

TONGUE SUPPORT. No. 520,339. Patented May 22, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADDISO1\ BUFINGTON ROSE AND JAMES HOWARD KELLEY, OF PALMYRA, MISSOURI.

TONGUE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,339, dated May 22, 1894.

Application filed December 30, 1893- Serial No. 495,139. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ADDISON BUFINGTON Ross and JAMEs HOW'ARD KELLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at Palmyra, in the county of Marion and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Tongue-Support, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in tongue supports.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of tongue supports, and to provide a simple and inexpensive one, capable of being readily adjusted to support the tongue at the desired elevation to relieve the strain of the same upon the necks of the draft animals.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a reverse plan view of a portion of a running gear provided with a tongue support constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the tongue support detached.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

ldesignates a longitudinally disposed leaf spring, arranged beneath the front axle 2 of a running gear, and hingedly connected therewith, and extending forward to support the tongue 3 and having a bearing against the reach 4. At an intermediate point the spring is provided on its lower face with an eye 5, through which passes a pintle bolt 6, which hinges the spring between two depending perforated plates or ears 7 of a clip 8. The clip 8 is a double one, and consists of a rectangular plate 9, and a pair of yokes 10, which receive the axle, and which are arranged on opposite sides of the king bolt. The yokes are secured to the plate in the usual manner by nuts. The front end of the leaf spring bears against the tongue, and is provided with a longitudinal slot 11, which receives the lower portion of the whifiletree pivot 12; and by this connection the spring is always held in proper position, and is permitted an adjustment to maintain the tongue at the proper elevation. The rear end of the leaf spring has secured to it an angle plate 13, and to the upper arm of the angle plate is adj ustably secured a curved bearing bracket 14 which engages the lower face of the reach to provide a fulcrum or stop for the rear end of the spring. The curved bearing bracket is of sufficient length to engage the reach at all times, and the latter is preferably provided on its lower face with a wear plate. The bearing bracket, which is of substantially triangular shape, is provided with a vertical slot 15, in which is arrangedaclamping screw or bolt 16 for securing the bearing bracket at the desired adjustment to give the tongue the proper elevation. The lower arm of the angle plate 13, which is secured directly to the rear end of the leaf spring is provided with side flanges; and the plate 17 provided with similar flanges is arranged on the lower face of the spring; and the bolt 18 passes through the plate, the spring, and the lower arm of the angle plate, and firmly secures the parts together.

It will be apparent that the tongue support is simple and comparatively inexpensive in construction, that it may be readily applied to a vehicle, that it is adapted to support the tongue at the desired elevation, and that it cannot wear or otherwise injure the hounds.

Changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

What we claim is 1. The combination with a running gear, of a longitudinally disposed spring arranged beneath and hingedly connected with the axle, at a point intermediate of its ends, and ex tending in front and in rear of the axle and having its front end supporting the tongue, and its rear end engaging the reach, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a running gear, of a longitudinally disposed spring arranged beneath the front axle, and extending in front and in rear of the same and having its front we end supporting the tongue and provided at its rear end with a curved bearing engaging the reach, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination with a running gear, of a longitudinally disposed spring hingedly connected with the front axle, and extending in front and in rear of the same and having its front end supporting the tongue, and provided at its rear end with a curved bracket, engaging the reach and adj ustably connected with the spring, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The combination with a running gear, of a longitudinally disposed spring hingedly connected with the front axle and extending in front and in rear of the same and having its front end supporting the tongue, an angle plate secured to the rear end of the spring and extending upward, a curved bearing bracket engaging the reach and provided with a vertical slot, and a clamping bolt arranged in the slot and securing the bearing bracket to the plate, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a running gear, of a longitudinally disposed spring hingedly connected with the front axle, and extending in front and in rear of the same and having its front end supporting the tongue and provided with alongitudinal slot, a pin depending from the tongue and arranged in the slot, and a curved bearing plate engaging the reach and adjustably connected with the spring, substantially as described.

6. A tongue support comprising a clip designed to be secured to the front axle and provided with depending ears, a longitudinally disposed spring hinged between the ears and extending in front and in rear of the axle and adapted to support a tongue at its front end, an angle plate secured to the rear end of the spring and having an upward extending arm, and a curved bearing bracket for engaging a reach adjustably secured to the upward extending arm of the angle plate, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ADDISON BUFINGTON ROSE. JAMES HOWARD KELLEY. \Vitnesses:

M. D. THOMPSON, THOS. L. ANDERSON. 

